Main

Samuel Workman, Ph.D. 

I am a political scientist working at the intersection of public policy, data science, and statistics. I specialize in public policy, the bureaucracy, regulatory politics, and statistics. My interests involve text-as-data, machine learning, and statistical modeling, especially classificationj stochastic processes, and maximum likelihood methods. I teach courses in public policy, agenda setting, regulatory policy, and statistics. My current academic projects examine congressional bureaucracies, the regulatory politics of education policy, and agenda setting in food policy.

I also provide statistical consulting in the private sector, specializing in the grocery floral category. My work focuses on data-driven decision-making and management, custom reporting, and data-informed programming.

Skills & Experience

  • Policy research, data management, statistical analysis & modeling, presentation, reporting & data visualization, machine learning
  • Project Management, grant writing, team leadership & coordination, public speaking
  • Market, sales, and inventory analysis, reporting, and visualization, data-driven decision-making and management
  • Languages: R, LATEX, SAS, SPSS, VBA, SQL, Markdown, CSS, HTML (limited)
  • Applications: Rstudio, WinEdt, Beamer, binb, xaringan, MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, SQLite, MS Access

Academic Positions

20202016

Associate Professor of Political Science

The University of Oklahoma Norman, OK USA
  • Faculty Affiliate, National Institute for Risk & Resilience
  • Faculty Member, Big Data & Statistics Working Group
  • Faculty Affiliate, The Comparative Agendas Project, University of Texas
20162014

Assistant Professor of Political Science

The University of Oklahoma Norman, OK USA
  • Faculty Affiliate, Center for Risk & Crisis Management
  • Faculty Affiliate, Center for Intelligence & National Security
2014

Lecturer in American Politics

Sciences Po Bordeaux, FR
20132010

Assistant Professor of Government

The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX USA
  • Associate Director, Policy Agendas Project
20102008

J.J. “Jake” Pickle Research Fellow

The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX USA

Private Sector Data & Statistical Consulting

20192018

Chief Data & Statistical Consultant

Hi-Rise Balloons & Floral Supplies, Inc. Austin, TX USA
  • Statistical Analysis, Reporting, & Visualization
  • Custom reporting & data-informed programming
  • Sales, Marketing, & Inventory Analysis

Editorial Positions & Boards

20202016

Associate Editor

Public Administration Wiley-Blackwell
20202019

Editorial Board Member

Policy Studies Journal Wiley-Blackwell

Education

20092005

Ph.D., Political Science

University of Washington Seattle, WV
  • Fields: American Politics, Public Policy, & Research Methodology
  • Dissertation: Economizing Attention: Agendas and the Influence of Bureaucracy in American Politics
  • Graduate Fellow of the Center for American Politics & Public Policy
20052003

M.A., Political Science

University of Washington Seattle, WV
  • Fields: American Politics & Research Methodology
  • Manager: Policy Agendas Project
  • Donald R. Matthews Fellow
20032001

M.A., Political Science

West Virginia University Morgantown, WV
  • Fields: American Politics & Public Policy
  • Certification: Public Policy Analysis
  • Philip V. McGance Fellow
20011997

B.S., Industrial Relations & Human Resources

West Virginia University, IT Montgomery, WV
  • Specialization: Economics & Labor Relations

S. Workman - Google Scholar

Interests
  • Public Policy
  • Regulation
  • Bureaucracy
  • Agenda Setting
  • Education Policy
  • Use of Research & Data
  • Food Policy & Food Systems
Approaches
  • Text-as-Data
  • Text Classification
  • Machine Learning
  • Maximum Likelihood
  • Stochastic Processes
Current Projects
  • Use of research in Education regulations
  • The politics of data & numbers
  • Complexity & the regulation of GMOs
  • The politics of food security

Books

2020

Methods of the Policy Process

Routlege Abingdon, UK
  • Christopher M. Weible & Samuel Workman
  • Under Contract

Articles

2018

Drawing practical lessons from punctuated equilibrium theory

Policy & Politics, Vol. 46 no. 2 (April), pp. 293–308
  • Chris Koski & Samuel Workman
2017

Problem Definition and Information Provision by Federal Bureaucrats

Cognitive Systems Research, Vol. 43 (June), pp. 140–152
  • Samuel Workman, JoBeth Shafran, & Tracey Bark
2016

Knot Policy Theory

Policy Studies Journal, Vol. 44 no. S1, pp. 123–132
  • Christian Breunig, Chris Koski, & Samuel Workman
2009

Widespread Policy Disruption: Terrorism, Public Risks, and Homeland Security

Policy Studies Journal, Vol. 37 no. 2, pp. 171–194
  • Peter J. May, Joshua Sapotichne, & Samuel Workman
2009

Widespread Policy Disruption and Interest Mobilization

Policy Studies Journal, Vol. 37 no. 4, pp. 793–815
  • Peter J. May, Joshua Sapotichne, & Samuel Workman
2009

Information Processing and Policy Dynamics

Policy Studies Journal, Vol. 37 no. 1, pp. 75–92
  • Samuel Workman, Bryan D. Jones, & Ashley E. Jochim
2008

Organizing Attention: Responses of the Bureaucracy to Agenda Disruption

Journal of Public Administration Research & Theory, Vol. 18 no. 4, pp. 517–541
  • Peter J. May, Samuel Workman, & Bryan D. Jones
2006

Policy Coherence and Policy Domains

Policy Studies Journal, Vol. 34 no. 3, pp. 381–403
  • Peter J. May, Joshua Sapotichne, & Samuel Workman

Book Chapters

2017

Struggle and Triumph in Fusing Policy Process and Comparative Research

Theories of the Policy Process, Chap. 9, pp. 329–362
  • Jale Tosun & Samuel Workman
2015

Communications Frameworks and the Supply of Information in Policy Subsystems

Policy Paradigms in Theory and Practice: Discourses, Ideas, and Anomalies in Public Policy Dynamics, Chap. 12, pp. 239–268
  • Samuel Workman & JoBeth Shafran
2010

Policymaking, Bureaucratic Discretion, and Overhead Democracy

The Oxford Handbook of American Bureaucracy, Chap. 26, pp. 612–637
  • Samuel Workman, Bryan D. Jones, & Ashley E. Jochim
2009

The Paradox of Agency Issue Attention: The Bush Administration and Homeland Security

President George W. Bush’s Influence over Bureaucracy and Policy: Extraordinary Times, Extraordinary Powers, Chap. 7, 123–146
  • Peter J. May & Samuel Workman
2006

Behavioral Rationality and the Policy Processes: Toward A New Model of Organizational Information Processing

Handbook of Public Policy, Chap. 3, pp. 49–74
  • Bryan D. Jones, Graeme Boushey, & Samuel Workman

Blogs

2018

Trump, Governance, and the Nature of Policy Reform

Policy Studies Journal Yearbook
  • Hank C. Jenkins-Smith & Samuel Workman
2018

Using information processing theory to build a smarter government

Policy & Politics Blog
  • Chris Koski & Samuel Workman
2017

How do we get governments to make better decisions?

Paul Cairney’s Policy Blog
  • Chris Koski & Samuel Workman
2016

Policy Implementation, Representation, and Democratic Governance

Midwest Political Science Association Blog
  • Samuel Workman

Interviews

2020

OU Nighlty Super Tuesday 2020

Interviewed by Lindsey Gibbs, OU Nightly Anchor, March 3rd
  • Samuel Workman
2020

Episode 17: Bryan Jones and Frank Baumgartner

The Co-Authored Podcast, Megaphone - Heath Brown, Host
  • Samuel Workman
2019

Episode 8: Education Policy & Problem Solving

Policy Agenda Podcast, STITCHER - E.J.Fagan & Katherine Madel, Hosts, April 30th
  • Samuel Workman & Deven Carlson

Reviews & Responses

2019

Thinking in Public about Public Affairs: A Response to, and Expansion of, Zuo, Qian, and Zhao

Policy Studies Journal, Vol. 47 no. S1, pp. S181–S185
  • Samuel Workman

Grants & Awards

Funding Organization Review

National Science Foundation

  • Political Science
  • Law & Society
  • Science of Organizations
  • Decision, Risk, & Management Sciences
20212018

Organizational Problem Solving and the Use of Research in Education Policy

National Science Foundation, Science of Organizations, Award No. 1827494, $455,640
  • Samuel Workman (PI) and Deven Carlson (Co-PI)
20102008

Economizing Attention: Agendas and the Influence of Bureaucracy in American Policymaking

*National Science Foundation, Political Science Program Dissertation Improvement Grant, Award No. 0819429, $11,999
  • Bryan D. Jones (PI) and Samuel Workman (Co-PI)
20102009

Liberal Arts Instructional Technology Grant

College of Liberal Arts, The University of Texas at Austin, $34,770
  • Bryan D. Jones (PI) and Samuel Workman (Co-PI)
2010

Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship

College of Liberal Arts, The University of Texas at Austin, $2,000
  • Samuel Workman
2008

Travel Grant

Center for Statistics in the Social Sciences, University of Washington, $1,000
  • Samuel Workman

Fellowships & Scholarships

2011

College Research Fellowship

College of Liberal Arts, The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX USA
20112010

Fellow of the J.J. “Jake” Pickle Regents Chair in Congressional Studies

College of Liberal Arts, The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX USA
20082003

Graduate Fellow in American Politics and Public Policy

Center for American Politics and Public Policy, University of Washington Seattle, WA USA
2005

Clifford C. Clogg Scholarship

Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR), University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI USA
20042003

Donald R. Matthews Fellow

Department of Political Science, University of Washington Seattle, WA USA
20032001

Phillip V. McGance Fellow

Department of Political Science, West Virginia University Morgantown, WV USA

Teaching

Approach & Philosophy

My approach to teaching is interactive and geared toward skills development. I also emphasize bring research & data into the classroom. Excersizes involve considerable writing, story-telling with data, and opportunities to develop policy briefs and data analytic skills.

Ph.D. Advisees

  • Gloria Noble, Ph.D. (exp. 2021)
  • Periloux Peay, Ph.D. (exp. 2020): Georgia State University
  • Tracey Bark, Ph.D. (2019): Auburn University, Montgomery

Graduate Teaching

2020

Maximum Likelihood Estimation

University of Oklahoma, P SC 5940 Norman, OK USA
  • 2017 & 2020
2019

Agenda Setting in Public Policy

University of Oklahoma, P SC 5053 Norman, OK USA
  • 2017 & 2019
2016

Data Visualization

The University of Oklahoma, P SC 5940 & The University of Texas at Austin, GOV 385L Norman, OK & Austin, TX
  • 2010, 2014, & 2016
2015

Intermediate Analysis of Political Data

The University of Oklahoma, P SC 5933 Norman, OK USA
2014

Field Seminar in Public Policy

The University of Oklahoma, P SC 6223 Norman, OK USA
2011

Bureaucracy & Policy Implementation

The University of Texas at Austin, GOV 384M Austin, TX USA

Undergraduate Teaching

Ph.D. Committees

The University of Oklahoma

  • Aarika Forney, Ph.D. (exp. 2020)
  • Lihui Zhang, Ph.D. (exp. 2020)
  • Matthew Geras, Ph.D. (exp. 2020)
  • Elizabeth Bell, Ph.D. (2019)
  • Jessica Hayden, Ph.D. (2018)
  • Paul Valentine, Ph.D. (2018)
  • Victoria Rickard, Ph.D. (2017)
  • David Oakley, M.A. (2017)

The University of Texas at Austin

  • Jonathan Lewallen, Ph.D. (2017)
  • Michelle Wolfe, Ph.D. (2016)
  • JoBeth Shafran, Ph.D. (2015)
  • Sarat Krishnan, Ph.D. (2015)
  • Daniel Sternemann, Ph.D. (2013)
  • Dorothy Morgan, Ph.D. (2012)

Undergrad Mentorship

Ryan Marsh, B.A. (exp. 2020) Royce Chang, B.S. (2012)

2020

Bureaucracy & Citizenship

The University of Oklahoma, P SC 3113 Norman, OK USA
  • 2014 & 2020
2019

Introducation to Political Analysis

The University of Oklahoma, P SC 2013 Norman, OK USA
  • 2018 (2 sections) & 2019
2016

Regulatory Policy

The University of Oklahoma, P SC 4213 Norman, OK USA
  • 2015 & 2016
2013

American Government

The University of Texas at Austin, GOV 310 Austin, TX USA
  • 2010 - 2013 (13 sections)

Public Lectures

2017

University of Kentucky

Martin School of Public Policy & Administration Lexington, KY USA
  • “Congressional Bureaucracy, Policy Analysis, and Governance in the Administrative State”
2017

The University of Texas at Arlington

Haggard Lecture Series Arlington, TX USA
  • “Delegated Oversight, Institutional Conflict, and the Macro Dynamics of Legislative Policy Analysis”
2017

University of Colorado, Denver

School of Public Affairs Denver, CO USA
  • “Governance and Adaptive Problem Solving in the Administrative State”
2013

The University of Texas at Austin

Thompson Center Continuing Education Austin, TX USA
  • “Teaching AP American Politics & Policy”
2013

Aarhus University

Department of Political Science Aarhus, DK
  • “Bureaucracy and Problem Solving: Information Processing in the Administrative State”
2012

The University of Oklahoma

Department of Political Science Norman, OK USA
  • “Bureaucracy and “Information Processing: Risk and Governing in the Administrative State”
2011

The University of Oklahoma

Department of Political Science Norman, OK USA
  • “Information Processing & Policy Dynamics”
2011

BI Norwegian Business School

Department of Law & Governance Oslow, NO
  • “Attention, Politics, or Performance? Competing Influences on Oversight by Analytical Bureaucracies in the Regulatory State”
2011

Vanderbilt University

Department of Political Science
  • “Confronting the Administrative Presidency: Analytical Bureaucracy and Congressional Governance”
2010

Texas A & M University

Department of Political Science College Station, TX USA
  • “The Supply and Demand of Bureaucratic Signals”
2008

The University of Texas at Austin

Department of Government Austin, TX USA
  • “Bureaucratic Signaling and Congressional Priorities in Securities Regulation”
2008

University of Colorado

Department of Political Science Boulder, CO USA
  • “Bureaucratic Signaling and Congressional Priorities in Securities Regulation”
2007

University of Oxford

Nuffield College Oxford, UK
  • “The Paradox of Agency Issue Attention: The Bush Administration and the Undermining of Homeland Security”

Conference Presentations

Chair or Organizer

  • International Conference on Public Policy 2015
  • Midwest Political Science Association 2010–2013 & 2017
  • Southern Political Science Association 2011
  • Southwestern Social Science Association 2017

Discussant

  • Midwest Political Science Association 2010–2013, 2016–2017, & 2019
  • Comparative Policy Agendas Project Conference 2014 & 2017
  • Congress & History 2016
  • Southern Political Science Association 2009 & 2011
  • Southwestern Social Science Association 2017
  • Association of Public Policy and Management 2019
American Political Science Association (APSA)
2002, 2005, 2007–2010, 2012, 2015–2017 & 2019
Midwest Political Science Association (MPSA)
2003, 2006–2011, 2013, 2016–2017 & 2019
Comparative Agendas Projects Conference (CAP)
2010, 2014, 2016, & 2017
European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR)
2014 & 2017
European Political Science Association (EPSA)
2016
Southwestern Social Science Association (SSSA)
2017
International Conference on Public Policy (ICPP)
2013, 2015, & 2019
International Conference on Food Studies
2012 & 2015
Western Political Science Association (WPSA)
2014
Southern Political Science Association (SPSA)
2009 & 2020
Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM)
2005–2007, & 2019

Positions in Discipline

20202016

Mentor

American Political Science Association
20202016

Mentor

Midwest Political Science Association
2019

Section Chair, Public Management

Southern Political Science Association
2018

Presidential Selection Committee, Midwest Public Administration Caucus (MPAC)

Midwest Political Science Association
2016

Committee Chair, Best Paper in Public Policy

American Political Science Association
20152014

Section Chair, Bureaucratic Politics

Midwest Political Science Association
2012

Section Chair, Public Policy

Midwest Political Science Association
20122009

Executive Council, Public Administration Section

American Political Science Association

Service

University

20202017

Inter-Consortium for Political & Social Research (ICPSR) Representative

The University of Oklahoma Norman, OK USA
20202017

Outside-Committee Member (ACR Service) for Paul Plummer (Ph.D. - Math)

The University of Oklahoma Norman, OK USA
20192017

Signature Initiative Committee: Advancing the Study of Water, Natural Resources, and the Environment

The University of Oklahoma Norman, OK USA

Department

20202016

Chair, Research Methodology Field

The University of Oklahoma Norman, OK USA
20202016

Chair, Strategic Planning Committee

The University of Oklahoma Norman, OK USA
20202014

Graduate Admissions & Funding Committee

The University of Oklahoma Norman, OK USA
2018

Peer Teaching Evaluations—Allyson Shortle and Colin Barry

The University of Oklahoma Norman, OK USA
2016

Moderator, 3rd Presidential Debate, OU Votes

The University of Oklahoma Norman, OK USA
2016

Carl Albert Center (CAC) Search Committee

The University of Oklahoma Norman, OK USA
2015

MPA Admissions Committee

The University of Oklahoma Norman, OK USA
2014

American Politics Search Committee

The University of Oklahoma Norman, OK USA
2014

Ewing Fellowship Selection Committee

The University of Oklahoma Norman, OK USA
20132009

Associate Director, Policy Agendas Project

The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX USA
20132012

Graduate Admiissions Committee

The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX USA
20132011

Peer Teaching Review Committee

The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX USA
20132009

Human Subjects Review Committee

The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX USA
2011

Course Transformation Committee

The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX USA
20112010

Latino Public Policy Search Committee

The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX USA
20112010

Centennial Lecture Series Committee

The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX USA
20102009

Chair, J.J. Pickle Speaker Series in American Institutions, Public Policy, & American Political Development

The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX USA
20102009

Library Committee

The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX USA
20082007

Coordinator, Student Seminar Series, Center for Statistics & the Social Sciences

University of Washington Seattle, WA USA
20082007

Coordinator, Workshop on Public Policy Processes, Center for American Politics & Public Policy

University of Washington Seattle, WA USA
2007

Organizer, The Fifth Republic at Fifty: French Politics and Agenda Setting in Comparative Perspective

University of Washington Seattle, WA USA

References

Professor Bryan D. Jones
J.J. “Jake” Pickle Regents Chair of Congressional Studies
Department of Government The University of Texas at Austin 1 University Station A1800 Austin, TX 78712-0119 Ph. 512-471-9973
Professor Frank R. Baumgartner
Richard J. Richardson Distinguished Professor of Political Science
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 358 Hamilton Hall Campus Box 3265 Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3265 Ph. 919-962- 3041
Professor David E. Lewis
William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Political Science
Department of Political Science Vanderbilt University PMB 505 230 Appleton Place Nashville, TN 37203-5721 Ph. 615-322-6228
Professor Andrew B. Whitford
Alexander M. Crenshaw Professor of Public Policy
School of Public and International Affairs Department of Public Administration and Policy University of Georgia Baldwin Hall 412 355 South Jackson Street Athens, GA 30602 Ph. 706-542-2898
Professor Christopher M.Weible
School of Public Affairs University of Colorado, Denver 1380 Lawrence Street, Suite 500 Denver, CO 80217-3364 Ph. 303-315-2010
Professor Anthony M. Bertelli
Currently in residence at Bocconi University
Sherwin-Whitmore Chair of Liberal Arts
Penn State School of Public Policy Penn State University 322 Pond Lab University Park, PA 16802 Ph. +39 347 3984 249
Professor Peter Bjerre Mortensen
Department of Political Science and Government Bartholins All´e 7 Building 1340, Room 333 8000 Aarhus C Denmark
Professor Martin Lodge
Professor of Political Science & Public Policy
Department of Government London School of Economics Houghton Street CON 3.08, Connaught House London WC2A 2AE United Kingdom Ph. +44 (0)20 7849 4627
Professor John D.Wilkerson
Director, Center for American Politics and Public Policy
Department of Political Science University of Washington 101 Gowen Hall, Box 353530 Seattle, WA 98105-3530 Department of Political Science University of Washington 101 Gowen Hall, Box 353530 Seattle, WA 98105-3530 Ph. 206-543-8030
Professor Peter John
Professor of Political Science & Public Policy
Department of Political Science The School of Public Policy University College London The Rubin Building 29/30 Tavistock Sq., Room 1.07 London, WC1H 9QU United Kingdom Ph. +44 (0)20 3108 1145 (x5114)
Professor Andrew J. Karch
Arleen C. Carlson Professor
Department of Political Science University of Minnesota 1211 Social Science Building 267 19th Ave S Minneapolis, MN 55455 Ph. 612-624-2537
Professor Peter J. May
Donald R. Matthews Distinguished Professor Emeritus of American Politics
Department of Political Science University of Washington 101 Gowen Hall, Box 353530 Seattle, WA 98105-3530 Ph. 206-543-2780